Substrate supporting unit and substrate processing apparatus including same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate supporting unit and a substrate processing apparatus including the same, the substrate supporting unit according to one embodiment of the present invention comprising: a positioner on which a substrate is mounted; the base plate is used for supporting the positioner; and a ring assembly disposed along a periphery of the positioner and the base plate, the ring assembly including a pad, and a coating layer formed along an outer peripheral surface of the pad.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a substrate support unit and a substrate processing apparatus including the same. More specifically, it relates to a substrate processing apparatus for improving the lifespan of pads formed inside a ring assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Commonly used processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices include vapor deposition processes for forming films on semiconductor substrates, chemical / mechanical polishing processes for planarizing films, photoresist processes for forming photoresist patterns on films, etching processes for forming films with electrically conductive patterns using photoresist patterns, ion implantation processes for implanting specific ions into predetermined areas of a substrate, cleaning processes for removing impurities from a substrate, and inspection processes for inspecting the surface of a substrate with films or patterns formed.

[0003] Inside the cavity of the substrate processing apparatus that performs the above process, a substrate support unit for supporting the substrate can be formed. A substrate W can be placed on top of such a substrate support unit, and a ring assembly can be formed along the periphery of the substrate support unit.

[0004] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating a prior art ring assembly.

[0005] Reference Figure 1 The substrate support unit 200 may include an electrostatic chuck 220 comprising a positioner 222 and a base plate 224, and may form a ring assembly 300 along the periphery of the substrate support unit 200. The ring assembly 300 may include a first ring 320, a second ring 340, a third ring 360, and a pad 380.

[0006] A first ring 320 can be configured along the periphery of the locator 222, and a second ring 340 can be configured along the periphery of the substrate 224. A third ring 360 can be configured along the periphery of both the first ring 320 and the second ring 340. A pad 380 can be formed between the substrate 224 and the first ring 320. The pad 380 can be ring-shaped and made of silicon. Such a pad 380 can reduce the impedance between the edge region of the substrate 224 and the first ring 320, thereby reducing the potential difference and arcing phenomenon between the substrate W and the first ring 320.

[0007] During the process, these pads 380 discolor and harden due to the presence of acidic process gases. This results in shorter pad replacement intervals and a reduced mean time between cleans (MTBC) for the substrate processing unit, thus decreasing the productivity of semiconductor devices. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention addresses the problems of the prior art and relates to a substrate processing apparatus for improving the lifespan of pads formed inside a ring assembly.

[0009] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the following description other problems not mentioned.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate support unit may include: a locator on which a substrate is placed; a base plate for supporting the locator; and a ring assembly disposed along the periphery of the locator and the base plate, the ring assembly including pads and having a coating formed along the outer peripheral surface of the pads.

[0011] In one embodiment, the coating may comprise at least one of Teflon, Al2O3, and Y2O3.

[0012] In one embodiment, the coating may be formed using a spraying method or an atomic layer deposition method.

[0013] In one embodiment, the coating formed by the spraying method may have a thickness of 1 μm to 100 μm.

[0014] In one embodiment, the coating formed by the atomic layer deposition method may have a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm.

[0015] In one embodiment, the ring assembly may include: a first ring disposed along the periphery of the locator; and a second ring disposed along the periphery of the base plate.

[0016] In one embodiment, the pad may be formed between the substrate and the first ring.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus may include: a cavity having a processing space inside; a substrate support unit disposed in the processing space and used to support a substrate; and a gas supply unit for supplying process gas to the processing space, wherein the substrate support unit includes: a positioner on which the substrate is placed; a base plate for supporting the positioner; and a ring assembly disposed along the periphery of the positioner and the base plate, the ring assembly including pads, and a coating formed along the outer peripheral surface of the pads.

[0018] In one embodiment, the coating may comprise at least one of Teflon, Al2O3, and Y2O3.

[0019] In one embodiment, the coating may be formed using a spraying method or an atomic layer deposition method.

[0020] In one embodiment, the process gas supplied to the interior of the cavity may be acidic.

[0021] In one embodiment, the coating may protect the pads from the acidic process gases.

[0022] In one embodiment, the ring assembly may further include: a first ring disposed along the periphery of the locator; a second ring disposed along the periphery of the base plate; and a third ring formed along the outer peripheral surfaces of the first ring and the second ring.

[0023] In one embodiment, the pad may be made of silicon material and is formed between the substrate and the first ring.

[0024] In one embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus may further include a plasma generating unit for plasmaizing the process gas supplied to the processing space.

[0025] A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a cavity having a processing space inside; a substrate support unit disposed in the processing space and used to support a substrate; a gas supply unit for supplying process gas to the processing space; and a plasma generating unit for plasmaizing the process gas. The substrate support unit includes: a positioner on which the substrate is placed; a base plate for supporting the positioner; and a ring assembly disposed along the periphery of the positioner and the base plate. The ring assembly includes pads, and a coating is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the pads. The process gas supplied to the processing space of the cavity is acidic, and the coating protects the pads from the acidic process gas.

[0026] In one embodiment, the coating may be formed using a spraying method or an atomic layer deposition method.

[0027] In one embodiment, the coating may comprise at least one of Teflon, Al2O3, and Y2O3.

[0028] In one embodiment, the ring assembly may further include: a first ring disposed along the periphery of the locator; a second ring disposed along the periphery of the base plate; and a third ring formed along the outer peripheral surfaces of the first ring and the second ring.

[0029] In one embodiment, the pad may be a ring-shaped silicon material, and the pad is formed between the substrate and the first ring.

[0030] According to the present invention, by forming a coating on the outer peripheral surface of the pads formed inside the ring assembly, the problem of damage to the pads by acidic process gases can be solved.

[0031] In addition, by protecting the pads with a coating formed on the outer periphery of the pads during the process, the time spent using the pads is increased, thereby improving the mean time between cleans (MTBC) of the substrate processing apparatus.

[0032] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the following description other problems not mentioned. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating a prior art ring assembly.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3 This is an enlarged view of a ring assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating a ring assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] (Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram)

[0039] 10: Substrate processing apparatus

[0040] 100: Cavity

[0041] 200: Substrate support unit

[0042] 300: Ring assembly

[0043] 380: solder pads

[0044] 400: Gas Supply Unit

[0045] 500: Plasma Generating Unit

[0046] 600: Control Unit Detailed Implementation

[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can readily implement it. However, the present invention can be implemented in various different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0048] When describing embodiments of the present invention, specific descriptions of known functions or structures are omitted when it is determined that such specific descriptions would unnecessarily obscure the spirit of the invention. Parts that perform similar functions and effects are referred to by the same reference numerals in all drawings.

[0049] At least some of the terminology used in this specification is defined with consideration of its function in this invention, and therefore may vary depending on the user's or operator's intent, conventions, etc. Consequently, the terminology should be interpreted based on the entire content of this specification.

[0050] Furthermore, in this specification, unless otherwise specified in the statements, the singular also includes the plural. In this specification, when a statement refers to the inclusion of a certain constituent element, unless specifically contradicted, it means that other constituent elements may be included, rather than excluding them.

[0051] On the other hand, in the accompanying drawings, for ease of understanding, the size or shape of the constituent elements, the thickness of the lines, etc., may be presented in a more or less enlarged manner.

[0052] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding components are marked with the same reference numerals, regardless of the drawing numbers, and repeated descriptions of them are omitted.

[0053] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Reference Figure 2 The substrate processing apparatus 10 may include a cavity 100, a substrate support unit 200, a ring assembly 300, a gas supply unit 400, a plasma generation unit 500, and a control unit 600.

[0055] The cavity 100 may have a processing space for performing plasma processes. Such a cavity 100 may have an exhaust port 102 at its lower part. The exhaust port 102 may be connected to an exhaust line equipped with a pump P. The exhaust port 102 can discharge reaction byproducts generated during the plasma process and residual gases inside the cavity 100 to the outside of the cavity 100 through the exhaust line. At this time, the internal space of the cavity 100 can be depressurized to a predetermined pressure.

[0056] The cavity 100 may have an opening 104 formed in its sidewall. The opening 104 may function as a passage for the substrate W to enter and exit the interior of the cavity 100. Such an opening 104 may be configured to open and close via a door assembly.

[0057] The baffle unit 120 can perform the function of discharging plasma process byproducts, unreacted gases, etc. Such a baffle unit 120 can be formed between the inner wall of the cavity 100 and the substrate support unit 200. The baffle unit 120 can be provided in an annular shape and can have multiple through holes extending in the vertical direction. The gas flow can be controlled according to the number and shape of the through holes in the baffle unit 120.

[0058] The substrate support unit 200 can be disposed in the lower region inside the cavity 100. The substrate support unit 200 can support the substrate W by electrostatic force. However, this embodiment is not limited to this, and the substrate W can be supported by various methods such as mechanical clamping or vacuum.

[0059] When the substrate W is supported by electrostatic force, the substrate support unit 200 may include an electrostatic chuck 220 comprising a positioner 222 and a base plate 224. Additionally, although not shown, the electrostatic chuck 220 may form a bonding layer for engaging the positioner 222 and the base plate 224.

[0060] A substrate W can be placed on top of the positioner 222, and electrodes 222a and heater 222b can be formed inside it. The positioner 222 can be made of ceramic material, such as alumina (Al2O3) or quartz.

[0061] A base plate 224 can be provided below and coupled to the positioner 222. The base plate 224 may be disc-shaped and is provided as metal. A cooling flow path 224a can be formed on the base plate 224.

[0062] The ring assembly 300 can be disposed at the edge region of the substrate support unit 200. The ring assembly 300 can have a ring shape and be disposed along the periphery of the substrate support unit 200. The ring assembly 300 can be provided to surround the substrate support unit 200, so as to concentrate plasma towards the substrate W.

[0063] Figure 3 This is an enlarged view of a ring assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Reference Figure 3 The ring assembly 300 may include a first ring 320, a second ring 340, a third ring 360, and a pad 380.

[0065] The first ring 320 performs the function of concentrating plasma toward the substrate W. The first ring 320 may be ring-shaped and disposed along the periphery of the positioner 222. The first ring 320 may be provided with a conductive material, for example, silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), etc. The first ring 320 may be a focusing ring.

[0066] The second ring 340 may be disposed below the first ring 320 and may have a ring shape. The second ring 340 may be disposed along the periphery of the substrate 224. The second ring 340 may be made of a dielectric material, such as quartz, ceramic, yttrium oxide (Y2O3), alumina (Al2O3), or a polymer. The second ring 340 may be an insulating ring.

[0067] The third ring 360 may include an upper region 362 provided along the periphery of the first ring 320 and a lower region 364 provided along the periphery of the second ring 340. Both the upper region 362 and the lower region 364 of the third ring 360 may be provided in a ring shape. The third ring 360 may protect the outer sides of the first ring 320 and the second ring 340. The third ring 360 may be ion-strengthened to provide enhanced corrosion resistance (plasma resistance) of a quartz material. The third ring 360 may be a cover ring.

[0068] The pad 380 can be disposed between the substrate 224 and the first ring 320. Specifically, the pad 380 can be provided between the upper surface of the substrate 224 and the lower surface of the first ring 320. The pad 380 can bond the first ring 320 to the substrate 224 and perform a heat transfer function between the first ring 320 and the substrate 224. The pad 380 can be ring-shaped and can be made of silicon material, but is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment of the invention, a coating 390 can be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pad 380. The coating 390 can be made of an insulating material, such as Teflon, yttrium oxide (Y2O3), and alumina (Al2O3), but is not limited thereto. The coating 390 can be formed using spraying methods and atomic layer deposition (ALD) methods, etc.

[0069] A Teflon coating can be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pad 380 by spraying. The Teflon coating can have a thickness of 1 μm to 100 μm. When the Teflon coating is less than 1 μm thick, the coating 390 is easily etched by acidic process gases, which may fail to protect the pad 380. When the Teflon coating is more than 100 μm thick, cracks may occur on the surface of the coating 390. In addition, the sum of the thicknesses of the coatings 390 on both sides of the pad 380 is more than 200 μm, which creates a step between the electrostatic chuck 220 and the first ring 320 due to the thickness of the coating 390, causing process problems. Therefore, the Teflon coating preferably has a thickness of 1 μm to 100 μm.

[0070] A yttrium oxide coating and an aluminum oxide coating can be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pad 380 using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The coating 390 can have a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm. When the coating 390 formed by ALD has a thickness of less than 100 nm, it is easily etched by acidic process gases, which may prevent it from protecting the pad 380. Therefore, when forming the coating 390 using ALD, it is preferable to form a coating 390 with a thickness of 100 nm or more. A coating 390 with a thickness of 500 nm or more has the disadvantages of significant time and cost associated with forming the coating 390 on the pad 380. However, if time and cost are sufficient, forming a coating 390 with a thickness of 500 nm or more is also acceptable.

[0071] Thus, the thicker the Teflon coating and the coating 390 formed by atomic layer deposition, the smaller the adhesion of the pads 380 that bond the first ring 320 and the substrate 224 is compared to before the coating 390 was formed, but there is no problem in performing the function of a heat transfer medium between the first ring 320 and the substrate 224.

[0072] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating a ring assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0073] Figure 4 solder pad 380 and Figure 3 Unlike pad 380, pad 390 can include multiple coatings.

[0074] Reference Figure 4Multiple coatings 390' can be formed along the outer periphery of the pad 380. The multiple coatings 390' may include a first coating 392 and a second coating 394, but are not limited to these; more than two coatings may also be formed. For example, the first coating 392 may be yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃), and the second coating 394 may be aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), but are not limited to these. The multiple coatings 390' can be provided as insulating materials; for example, they may be Teflon, yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃), and aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃). The multiple coatings 390' can be formed using methods such as spraying and atomic layer deposition (ALD), and the total thickness of the multiple coatings 390' can be in the range of 100 nm to 100 μm.

[0075] As explained above, at least one coating can be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pads formed inside the ring assembly. By forming a coating on the outer peripheral surface of the pads, the problem of damage to the pads by acidic process gases can be solved. Specifically, the pads are protected by the coating formed on the outer peripheral surface during the process, thus increasing the pad usage time. This improves the mean time between cleans (MTBC) of the substrate processing apparatus, thereby also improving the productivity of semiconductor devices.

[0076] Refer again Figure 2 The gas supply unit 400 can supply the process gas required to the interior of the cavity 100. The gas supply unit 400 may include a gas supply source 402, a gas supply line 404, and a gas nozzle. The gas supply line 404 can connect the gas supply source 402 and the gas nozzle. The gas supply line 404 can supply gas stored in the gas supply source 402 to the gas nozzle. A valve 406 may be provided on the gas supply line 404 for opening and closing its passage or regulating the flow rate of fluid flowing through its passage. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the process gas supplied from the gas supply unit 400 to the cavity 100 is an acidic gas and may include, but is not limited to, hydrogen fluoride (HF), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), nitric acid (HNO3), etc.

[0077] exist Figure 2 Only one gas supply source 402 and gas supply valve 406 are shown, but the gas supply source of the present invention may include multiple gas supply sources and multiple gas supply valves that can independently control the supply of each gas, so that multiple gases can be supplied to the cavity 100.

[0078] The plasma generating unit 500 can generate plasma in the processing space of the cavity 100. Plasma can be formed in the upper region of the substrate support unit 200 within the cavity 100. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plasma generating unit 500 can generate plasma in the processing space inside the cavity 100 using a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) source.

[0079] However, this embodiment is not limited to this. It is also possible for the plasma generating unit 500 to generate plasma in the processing space inside the cavity 100 using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source or other plasma sources such as microwave.

[0080] The plasma generating unit 500 may include a high-frequency power supply 502 and a matching unit 504. The high-frequency power supply 502 may supply high-frequency power to either the upper or lower electrode to generate a potential difference between the upper and lower electrodes. Here, the upper electrode may be the nozzle 520, and the lower electrode may be the substrate support unit 200. Alternatively, the high-frequency power supply 502 may be connected to the lower electrode, and the upper electrode may be grounded.

[0081] The nozzle 520 can be formed inside the cavity 100, vertically opposite to the electrostatic chuck 220. Such a nozzle 520 can have multiple gas injection holes to uniformly inject gas into the cavity 100, and can be provided with a diameter larger than that of the electrostatic chuck 220. Alternatively, the nozzle 520 can be made of silicon or metal.

[0082] The control unit 600 can control the overall operation of the board processing apparatus 10 configured as described above. The control unit 600 can be, for example, a computer, and may include auxiliary storage devices. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) can operate based on programs or processing conditions stored in ROM (Read-Only Memory) or auxiliary storage devices, controlling the overall operation of the board processing apparatus 10. Furthermore, the computer-readable program required for control can also be stored on a storage medium. Examples of storage media include floppy disks, CDs (Compact Discs), CD-ROMs (Read-Only Optical Discs), hard disks, flash memory, or DVDs. The control unit 600 can be located either inside or outside the board processing apparatus 10. When the control unit 600 is located externally, it can control the board processing apparatus 10 via wired or wireless communication methods.

[0083] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 600 can be controlled to supply process gas to the processing space inside the cavity 100 for the purpose of performing a process, and the supplied process gas is plasmaized by the plasma generating unit 500.

[0084] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] Figure 5 substrate processing apparatus 10 and Figure 2 Unlike the substrate processing apparatus 10, the structure of the substrate processing apparatus 10 shown does not use plasma, and is similar only in that it does not include the upper and lower electrodes. Figure 2 The substrate processing device 10 is different.

[0086] Reference Figure 5 The gas supplied from the gas supply unit 400 can be uniformly sprayed onto the substrate W by being supplied to the processing space of the cavity 100 through the nozzle 520. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As an example, the gas supplied from the gas supply unit 400 can also be directly supplied to the processing space of the cavity 100 through a gas inlet formed in the cavity 100. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the process gas supplied from the gas supply unit 400 to the cavity 100 is an acidic gas and may contain hydrogen fluoride (HF), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), nitric acid (HNO3), etc., but is not limited to this. In addition, it is shown that only one coating layer 390 is formed on the pad 380 formed inside the ring assembly 300, but it is not limited to this. Figure 4 As shown, multiple coatings can also be formed.

[0087] The above description is merely an illustrative account of the technical concept of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments described herein are for illustrating the technical concept of the invention and are not intended to limit it. The technical concept of the invention is not limited to such embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted through the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the same scope should be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A substrate support unit, characterized in that, include: The locator is placed on the base plate; A base plate for supporting the locator; as well as The ring assembly is arranged along the periphery of the locator and the base plate. The ring assembly includes solder pads. A coating is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the pad.

2. The substrate support unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coating comprises at least one of Teflon, Al2O3, and Y2O3.

3. The substrate support unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coating is formed using a spraying method or an atomic layer deposition method.

4. The substrate support unit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The coating formed by the spraying method has a thickness of 1 μm to 100 μm.

5. The substrate support unit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The coating formed by the atomic layer deposition method has a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm.

6. The substrate support unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ring assembly includes: The first ring is arranged around the periphery of the locator; and The second ring is arranged along the periphery of the base plate.

7. The substrate support unit according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pads are formed between the substrate and the first ring.

8. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: The cavity has processing space inside; A substrate support unit is disposed in the processing space and is used to support the substrate; as well as A gas supply unit is used to supply process gases to the processing space. The substrate support unit includes: The locator is placed on the base plate; A base plate for supporting the locator; and The ring assembly is arranged along the periphery of the locator and the base plate. The ring assembly includes solder pads. A coating is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the pad.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The coating comprises at least one of Teflon, Al2O3, and Y2O3.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The coating is formed using a spraying method or an atomic layer deposition method.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The process gas supplied to the interior of the cavity is acidic.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The coating protects the pads from the acidic process gases.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that, The ring assembly also includes: The first ring is arranged around the periphery of the locator; A second ring is disposed along the periphery of the base plate; and The third ring is formed along the outer circumferential surface of the first ring and the second ring.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that, The pads are made of silicon. The pads are formed between the substrate and the first ring.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The substrate processing apparatus further includes: A plasma generating unit is used to plasmaify the process gas supplied to the processing space.

16. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: The cavity has processing space inside; A substrate support unit is disposed in the processing space and is used to support the substrate; A gas supply unit is used to supply process gases to the processing space; as well as A plasma generating unit is used to plasmaize the process gas. The substrate support unit includes: The locator is placed on the base plate; A base plate for supporting the locator; and A ring assembly, configured along the periphery of the locator and the substrate, includes pads. A coating is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the pad. The process gas supplied to the processing space of the cavity is acidic, and the coating protects the pads from the acidic process gas.

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, The coating is formed using a spraying method or an atomic layer deposition method.

18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, The coating comprises at least one of Teflon, Al2O3, and Y2O3.

19. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, The ring assembly also includes: The first ring is arranged around the periphery of the locator; A second ring is disposed along the periphery of the base plate; and The third ring is formed along the outer circumferential surface of the first ring and the second ring.

20. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that, The pads are made of silicon and have a ring shape. The pads are formed between the substrate and the first ring.

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